If you’ve heard me preach this once, you’ve heard it a hundred times — “work smarter, not harder.”

Today I’d like to share a practice that I recently started using; it’s one that I think will not only fit well into my favorite marketing mantra, but it will also help you create content in multiple modalities.

A few months’ back, I started using Skype — and I am now a huge fan. Skype enables you to make calls and video calls to other Skype users for free. And, if you choose to call regular land lines, there is a nominal rate per minute charged. Skype also has a very handy instant messaging function.

What I’ve recently started doing is using my Skype account to phone in to Cinchcast.com to record short audio messages based on my past articles. I’ve done this in order to breathe new life into some of my archived blog posts.

Most of these audios are under three minutes – in fact, most are just over a minute each. The calls average me $.08 each — so we’re not talking about a huge expense. The audios are immediately available on the Cinchcast website — and I can easily download the MP3 files if I wanted to add an intro after the fact. If I choose to leave them as-is, I can quickly post a brief excerpt, and add an image to the audio.

Afterwards, I can push it to my Twitter and Facebook accounts, and notify my followers of my most recent content additions. The process takes just moments to do. Finally, CinchCast also offers a quick and handy embed code that allows me to drop these new audios into my blog, and includes the excerpt and the uploaded image. Now, how cool is that?

Now, you could stop right there — but there is more you can do!

Suppose you have downloaded the audio. Now, you can add that audio to a simple Powerpoint-slide presentation, and you’ve got the makings for a great video. Tools like OneTrueMedia and Animoto make this process a breeze to do, and both offer the ability to immediately upload your creation to YouTube.

Think about the possibilities here, folks. You can combine themed audios and compile them into products you can sell (perhaps on venues such as Fiverr). You can create audio autoresponder series, ecourses…the mind simple spins at the possibilities, no?

So, to recap — 1 article = 1 audio + 1 video + Unlimited Options = 1 savvy and successful marketer

I don’t know about you, but I simply can’t argue with that math.

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Harness the Power of Fiverr.com to Generate Leads,
Drive Traffic and Create an Additional Revenue
Stream for Your Business

Perhaps you’ve heard the buzz surrounding the launch of Fiverr.com — a marketplace where buyers can obtain a variety of products and services for the flat rate of just five bucks.

Users simply create “gigs” listing what they are willing to do for $5. The listings are limited only by your imagination — you’ll see everything from offers to be a Virtual Assistant for a day to offers to become your “fake girlfriend” for a week.

Despite the small number of bizarre listings, there are a handful of marketers that are quietly leveraging Fiverr.com to generate leads, drive site traffic, and create a tidy little side business.

And you should be, too.

Perhaps you’ve tried listing a gig or two on Fiverr.com, and haven’t had any success. Or maybe you’ve been on the fence about taking time out of your day to set up a listing — I mean, after all, it’s only five bucks, right?

Well, that all depends upon how you look at it.

True, there are users who are only making $5 per hour on their listings (if they’re lucky). On the other hand, there are users making 15 times that much per hour.

Honestly, it probably isn’t your fault.

You probably haven’t had access to the right tools – the right information – to give your listings a fighting chance.

The good news is, that’s all about to change for you, right now.

Why Should You Listen to Me?
I’ve spent the last 20 years working in marketing and promotion. I got my start in a Fortune 500 environment as a team member in the marketing department of one of the nation’s largest industrial manufacturers. I’ve managed million-dollar budgets and high-profile client projects, and conducted market research studies that launched multi-million dollar ad campaigns. At the start of the new millenium, I set out on my own, and began taking what I learned and applying it to my small business clients. Over the last decade, I’ve earned a solid reputation as a thought-leader with a demonstrated commitment to the small business community. My clients include some of the web’s best and brightest — both in this country and abroad.

My digital small business magazine, Entrepreneur & Self-Employed Business Journal, is an acknowledged pacesetter in reporting on the topics of interest of small business owners — and has been lauded as one of the best publications in its class.

Evaluating & Testing the Fiverr Marketplace
Shortly after its launch, I began testing and evaluating various gigs in the Fiverr marketplact. I quickly discovered a pattern for what types of listings yielded consistently successful results. I’ve taken those findings and compiled them into a step-by-step guide to help you eliminate the learning curve and begin leveraging the power of Fiverr right away.

In this 38-page, no-fluff guide, I’ll take you by the hand and show you what it takes to create an attention-grabbing, high-converting listing. But more importantly, I’ll show you some of the pitfalls that many first-time Fiverr.com users make without even knowing it.

With just a determined decision and a simple click of your mouse, you’ll receive your key to unlock the vault that will give you direct access to the tools, resources and detailed instructions to help you start taking advantage of the full potential of Fiverr.com.

Why Should You Use Fiverr?

• Identify new leads for your existing business
• Employ it as a portfolio to showcase your talents
• Introduce your product or service to new prospects
• Conduct small-scale tests and market research
• Leverage it as a networking tool
• Drive traffic to your website or blog
• Generate extra cash to pay off bills or save for big purchases
• Let it fund side projects, vacations or expansion plans

Whatever you decide to use it for, an additional stream of revenue that you literally spend just minutes a day tending is something that you shouldn’t easily dismiss.

Unlike other money-making methods you may have read before, the process I’ll outline for you is 100% ethical and legal — you won’t find any black-hat tricks or shady tactics in this guide.

This guide offers tons of information to help you jump light-years ahead of the competition. It features over THREE DOZEN links to resources that will help you come up with gigs to offer for sale.

So, while one user is knitting toilet-paper kozies for $5 each, you’ll be processing orders in just minutes a day, and laughing all the way to the bank.

RAVE REVIEWS:
“This book is amazing! I am so glad Traci created this training guide on Fiverr. Talk about over delivering. I found out about Fiverr a couple of months ago and ever since I’ve been addicted. I started buying “Gigs” and now I’m selling my own products. Information on how things work is a little hard to find. Traci’s ebook not only answered all of my questions, but she even tells you how to make money selling free products and information. This isn’t just some standard training manual; it’s that and much more. It’s more like a business blue print. Fiverr is an awesome site, but with Traci’s ebook you now have the knowledge to start a business or enhance the business you already have. After reading this book I would have expected to pay much more. Thanks Traci for being so generous.”
Brian Blanc – http://greenstream360.com

“Originally (about 2 weeks ago now) I just slapped up an ad… offering something I knew would only take me a couple minutes to do, I found a quick image (required) to attach to my listing and logged out assuming my inbox would be full of “requests” for my gig by the following day.. but nary a whimper.

I eventually bought a gig from a Fiverr user named Traci (someone I now affectionately call the Fiverr.com lady)… the gig I purchased was unrelated to Fiverr but as we got to talking she offered me a copy of her eBook Five Dollar Fortunes to review.

I applied just a couple of the tips in it and my sales increased significantly. I took the image in my listing more seriously.. there’s a page in the book just on the importance of the image.

I was able to earn $320 with a little over 3 hours work over the span of 10 days. She makes the process simple and concise allowing you to be up and running making some “fivers” in no time.”

Keith James Lock – http://keithjameslock.com

Here’s just SOME of what you’ll learn in this guide:

• A crash course in how Fiverr.com works — how to set up an account, and how to buy and sell in their marketplace.
• Step-by-step instructions with helpful screenshots to walk you through the process with ease.
• How to avoid a newbie mistake that could prompt a Buyer to cancel their order with you.
• Why you need to sell only specific types of products or services on Fiverr.com — and what it will cost you if you don’t.
• What makes a GOOD versus a BAD gig.
• Four crucial elements that must be in every gig listing if you expect it to sell.
• Words that you can employ that get customers to BUY.
• Why you should set up a well-written profile BEFORE you ever list ANYTHING.
• The importance of selecting a kick-butt photo for your listing.
• A pre-listing step that most users avoid doing that is costing them MONEY every day.
• Four excellent resources for promoting your newly-listed gigs.
• How to insure that your customers leave you raving reviews.
• Dozens of links to resources that will leave your head spinning with the possibilities.

The fact is, Fiverr.com is still a very new site, and there are significant earning opportunities there for those that know how to use it. Once you discover the types of listings that will make you the highest dollar per hour, you can create a tidy little side project that pays dividends for weeks and months to come.

So go ahead, Click Now on the Add to Cart button below and receive the guide you’ll soon be calling the secret weapon of your Fiverr.com success.

Order Your Copy Now – Just $17.00

Fiverr™ is a trademark of Fiverr.com, and is only used for reference. There is no implied endorsement.

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Fans of the popular Monty Python film, Monty Python & the Holy Grail will fondly recall the fearless Black Knight. Although supremely skilled in swordplay, he suffers from unchecked overconfidence and a staunch refusal ever to give up.

For those who may not be familiar, consider picking this up from your local video rental. You’ll find a brief overview of the scene I’m referring to here.

Wouldn’t it be nice to know you had the Black Knight, (or his digital-password equivalent) protecting your website?

The Dreaded Dictionary Attack
Today, even modest computer users can easily have as many as a dozen passwords to remember, and it can be difficult to manage. Despite this, resist the urge to use the same password for all of your accounts. Similarly, avoid using a word that would be especially simple to remember. Among the most common words used, according to the experts in Inc. Magazine, are “password and “password1.” Still others use a common date.

Unfortunately, these types of passwords are simply no match for a dictionary attack. Automated password-cracking tools can check more than a million password variations in 28 hours — imagine how quickly they could breach your website when you don’t fortify the gates properly.

None Shall Pass!
Passwords composed of random strings of upper and lower case letters, numbers and punctuation can usually withstand an attack, but they are hard to remember. Consider keeping a list of your passwords in a secure place (not next to the computer!), so that you can refer to them when needed.

Additional strategies that will help you create difficult-to-break passwords that are easy to remember include:

• Two words connected by a number can withstand many attacks.
• Take the first letter of each word in a phrase and add a number or symbol and a capital letter. or “Mary had a little lamb”: Mhall#72.
• Try strengthening an abbreviation by swapping a symbol or a number for each a or e in the abbreviation. “salesman” becomes “$@lesm@n.”

Follow these tips, and your adversaries will quickly move on for more vulnerable opponents.

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Unless you’ve been living in a sandtrap, you’ve no doubt heard of Tiger Woods’ recently publicity nightmare involving his alleged infidelity.

While I am no golfer, (unless we’re talking Putt Putt), I did see a marketing lesson among the headlines. Only time will tell if Tiger can regain his “golden boy” status — but in the meantime, here’s a few reputation management tips you can garner to improve your own game:

Take responsibility right away. I really think that Tiger dropped the ball (I couldn’t resist) by not coming clean right away. There were too many things about the much-publicized car crash that just didn’t add up. Among them was my personal favorite — that Elin smashed in the back window of the vehicle in order to get Tiger out. Call me skeptical, but a much more likely scenario is that while she may have gotten him out of the car, Elin took a “slice” out of Tiger in the process…back window be damned.

Tiger has enjoyed years of fame, and millions of dollars from his talents. Sponsorships account for more than a small portion of his income each year — and those sponsors count on the celebrity cache of Tiger’s brand to help sell their products. In addition, Tiger’s style and personality have won many new fans for the game — including throngs of young fans who look up to him as a role model. True, he’s only human; but for those whom society has placed on a pedestal — and are richly rewarded as a result — shouldn’t they be held accountable for their actions, just as anyone else would?

Give sincere, heartfelt apologies. In this instance, you can’t settle for par. Family should obviously come first. Then, reach out to your fan base, and extend them an apology for your behavior. Finally, look toward those sponsors whose brands may have suffered as a result of your actions. They may drop you, and that is certainly their prerogative. Be that as it may, they are no less deserving of an apology.

Rebuild your image. Just as a caddy would advise you on how best to make that perfect shot, you must surround yourself with people, products and services that can help restore your good name. Tiger must demonstrate that he is committed to his family, and intends to put an end to his philandering. The status of his marriage is still uncertain — however, he has children that will be directly impacted by his actions. Making his wife and children his first priority will earn him support among his fan base. They won’t immediately forgive him, but they will be willing to do so in time.

Many celebrity athletes have been disgraced at one time or another, (names like Michael Vick, Pete Rose, and Tanya Harding come to mind), and while not all of them have recovered, some of them have. Michael Vick’s highly publicized dog fighting ring sent shockwaves through the NFL, and incited both fans and non-fans alike. However, in a very controversial move, the NFL allowed Vick back in. He is currently the quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles.

In golf, business and in life, the same rules apply. If you make a mistake, the best thing to do is get out in front of the situation and take responsibility. Apologize when you make a mistake, and make sure the apology is sincere. Finally, take steps to prevent any reocurence of the mistake, and work to win back trust and support.

Hopefully Tiger will emerge from this situation a better man. In the end, strength of character will trump athletic ability.

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Coming in at #31, this video from dekepod features the Brush Tool. The modest brush tool is one of the deepest, most versatile tools in Photoshop. Its not only a terrific painting tool, but it is also invaluable for masking, as Deke demonstrates in this weeks Photoshop Top 40 Countdown episode.

Featured in this video: Adobe Photoshop

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It’s not exactly a secret that I am a huge 80s music junkie. That said, it should really come as no surprise that when I began working on today’s post, I drew inspiration from Boy George and Culture Club.

I realize that George O’Dowd is not exactly someone you’d typically think of for offering sage business advice. After all, he’s known for his technicolor tresses and eyeshadow — not for his business savvy.

Even so, Boy George was right on the money when he crooned, “…time won’t give me time…”

Efficient time management is essential in business. We know we can’t cram more hours into each day; our only option is to make the best use of the time we have each day. Those “big name” marketers make it look effortless — but what they aren’t telling you is that many of them outsource entire facets of their business to others. They may be employing virtual assistants, copywriters, and webmasters to handle functions that you are trying to juggle all by yourself.

You can still join the Culture Club of savvy internet marketers — all you need to do is establish a plan to work more efficiently each day.

Create a Clean and Chaos-Free Environment
Your work environment is integral to your productivity. Take steps to eliminate clutter and distractions. It doesn’t matter how big or how small your working space is — when you keep it clean and organized, you will be able to accomplish much more. Even if you have no home office and are only working on a computer, make sure your files and documents are well organized so you don’t lose precious time searching for important documents and files.

There’s Power in a Plan
Having a well-conceived plan for your day will eliminate the possibility of becoming sidetracked and distracted. You have many options at your disposal — from day planners and PDAs to simple applications like Outlook’s calendar function — these tools can help you view your day at a glance, and mark off tasks as they are completed.

Set Priorities and Deadlines
Arrange daily tasks in order of priority. Begin with tasks that have the greatest impact on your bottom line. For instance, taking care of client calls early in the morning will free you up to tackle marketing tasks such as submitting articles, creating newsletters, and posting to social media sites later in the day. You might want to close your email client while you are working on time-sensitive projects, in order to prevent distractions. Tasks such as automating your article submissions and tweets may require an initial investment, but can pay big dividends in the time saved on these activities.

It takes a fair amount of discipline to create and adhere to deadlines that you create for yourself, but it can be done. Creating a checklist that you can refer to each day will provide you with a visual reminder of what you need to complete — and, it will provide you with a sense of accomplishment after you mark each task off the list. For those who work on client projects, having a written schedule to refer to will enable you to schedule your work, and quote clients a realistic completion timeframe.

We can’t add more hours to our day, but we can use the time we have to our advantage. And THAT should be music to your ears.

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With the holidays around the corner and seasonal online shopping on the rise, the LinkShare TweetShop Tool comes at an opportune time for publishers to share more online and take advantage of increased interest among online shoppers.

In the advent of the Twitter-adoption explosion, this new tool brings a host of new possibilities to our affiliate network that is easy, fun and effective at driving revenue.

LinkShare, a leading performance marketing network provider, today announced the LinkShare TweetShop Tool that enables anyone with a Twitter following to monetize their Twitter feeds, and easily turn customized tweets into an effective shopping tool. Generally available to publishers in its network, this innovation further demonstrates the company’s commitment to creating applications that are Easy, Fast and Open – easy-to-use, fast-to-market, and open across channels – and is the latest feature in LinkShare’s Bento Box, a showcase of new tools and applications.

More than 50 million live Twitter accounts exist today with approximately 4.6 million people using Twitter on a daily basis, according to recent research by RJMetrics and Quantcast. These numbers represent a massive demographic with huge market potential that is largely untapped as few companies today have successfully created ways to monetize Twitter feeds.

Additionally, nearly half of all “value hunters” – a new market segment identified in a recent survey by Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates – are searching online for the best deals and promotions. Since this growing segment of online shoppers purchase something online once a week or more(3), they represent a growing consumer base that will be using tools like Twitter to find new products, search for deals, and satiate their everyday retail needs.

“With the holidays around the corner and seasonal online shopping on the rise, the LinkShare TweetShop Tool comes at an opportune time for publishers to share more online and take advantage of increased interest among online shoppers,” said Mark Kirschner, CMO, LinkShare. “In the advent of the Twitter-adoption explosion, this new tool brings a host of new possibilities to our affiliate network that is easy, fun and effective at driving revenue.”

With the LinkShare TweetShop Tool, publishers can easily customize tweets through the user interface which automatically creates a shortened URL that directs an online shopper to the landing page for the recommended object of affection.

Through three easy steps, publishers can turn their Twitter stream into a new revenue channel. Just Pick, Point and Post.

• Pick the item to tweet about.
• Point out the cool-factor.
• Post as an updated tweet without the hassle of having to both find the webpage of that item and shorten the URL to fit into his/her tweet.

In light of the recent FTC rulings regarding full disclosure for endorsements, sponsorships and the terms and conditions that apply to any special offer, LinkShare recommends following common sense guidelines when using its new LinkShare TweetShop Tool, such as those developed by the Performance Marketing Alliance:

• Avoid tweeting false or unsubstantiated product claims
• Never create a fake/spam twitter account just to post new advertisements
• Clearly and conspicuously disclose any connections with the advertiser and/or the affiliate network
• Be creative! If it is an ad, it should sound like one, but go beyond a product pitch
• Don’t abuse it. Daunted followers will stop following you and this will undermine your credibility you have built up in your online community

To check out the buzz on this new LinkShare TweetShop Tool, hear what industry experts have to say and add to the conversation, search and/ or tweet on the following hashtag: #TweetShop.

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Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you.

Competition is an integral part of the marketplace — it fuels innovation, controls pricing, and creates better products. What’s not to love, right?

Not so fast, Jedi Knights — competition also has a dark side.

Competition can sink a business — particularly if you aren’t prepared for it. Just because the “force” has been with you thus far, don’t automatically assume that will always be the case. Somewhere, in a galaxy far, far away, a would-be nemesis could be plotting your demise right now.

Whether yours is a small, home-based business or an international corporation, it is necessary to perform a competitive analysis to gain a better understanding of your competitors. This, in turn, will help you formulate more effective strategies to strengthen your position among your customer base, as well as defend and increase your market share.

While I’m certainly no Yoda, below you’ll find a few of my recommendations to aid you in conducting your own competitive analysis.

Know Your Customer
It all starts with the customer. Identifying your ideal customer, their buying habits, and purchase influences should have been paramount in your initial business planning. When you set out to conduct your competitive analysis, be sure to refer to this information, and make any necessary updates as needed.

Create a Customer Profile

• What triggers his decision to buy a certain product or service?
• Where will he go to search for a product or service provider?
• How does he search for the product he needs?
• What features does he look for?
• How does he choose the vendor?
• What is important to your customer – pricing, reputation, image, branding, or service?
• How is he influenced by word-of-mouth?
• What will keep him loyal or make him change brands?

Knowing these things will not only help you develop products and services that will meet the requirements and preferences of your customer but will also give you a very good idea of the who, what, how, and why behind your potential customer patronizing the other vendors and not you.

Know Your Competitors
Now, try to identify your competitors. Be specific as to their names, locations, their sizes, and as much as possible, their market share. Describe their product quality, brand name(s), image and reputation, pricing structure, marketing strategy, available technology, etc. It helps if you create a tabular presentation of the information to facilitate comparison and analysis of the competition. Make sure to include any perceived strengths and weaknesses of each competitor (lack of web presence, limited service area, etc.).

The objective of this exercise is to discover more about the nature of competition and assess how your product or service fares against your competitors’. You may decide to lower your price, or offer extended service plans. Perhaps you could provide online video training that customers could access after purchase. You may simply elect to step up your advertising campaign in order to gain greater visibility. Regardless of what path you choose, determine how your competitors affect your business, identify any potential threats, as well as opportunities.

Resources for Competitor Information

• Their company website (about page, press room, etc.)
• Industry associations they belong to
• Publications they have been featured in
• Media coverage
• Marketing materials
• Generalized search (complaints filed with BBB, etc.)

Benefits of Doing a Competitive Analysis
Whether you are planning an upcoming ad campaign or orchestrating a rebellion, knowing your competition is critical to the ultimate success of your strategy. This exercise will also help you anticipate how your competitors will respond to your action, or predict any initiatives they may take. In fact, you may discover there are elements of your competitors’ business tactics that you can improve upon, and adopt as your own.

Competition has much to offer the market in terms of driving quality, affordability and innovation. For business owners both large and small, a bit of research and a modest time investment can help avert potential threats, while leveraging opportunities to gain market share.

Regardless of what corner of the galaxy you are doing business in — that’s always a good thing.

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Some things just never get old — blue jeans, hamburgers, baseball, beer…Warhol?

Seriously.

One of the most influential artists of the 20th century, Andy Warhol was known for his avant-garde paintings and screenprintings. Who doesn’t remember Warhol’s garishly colored celebrity images of Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, or Mao Zedong?

In the studio he called The Factory, Warhol took an assembly-line approach to his high-contrast, silkscreens and produced art as a mass consumable, like a t-shirt or a pack of gum.

With all of the advances in graphic design software, it isn’t surprising that an abundance of “one-click Warhol” techniques abound. I find it more than a bit ironic that the man who is quoted as saying, “Art is what you can get away with” has fallen prey to such shortcuts. Sort of makes you wonder if Andy is wailing in his grave somewhere, pulling out the silvery hair from his wig in digust.

No “one-click Warhols” for me, thanks. Thankfully, there are cool, creative types like Deke McClelland out there keeping it real.

For those purist types that are looking for a better way to emulate the evil genius that is Warhol, join Deke McClelland in the final episode of this dekePod series, as he dissects Warhol’s process, and shows you how to use Photoshop to render your favorite portrait in bona-fide Warhol magnificence.

About dekePod

In the summer of 2008, Deke McClelland, computer graphics and imaging expert, launched “dekePod”– a series of often irreverent and sometimes hilarious video podcasts designed to impart Deke’s expert tips with a high degree of retention.

Each dekePod is crafted to engage a creative audience with a fast-paced sequence of commentary and provocative imagery that can draw a smile or outright laughter. The result: a video series with unique production and training qualities unlike any previously seen online.

For more information, visit deke.com/dekepod and youtube.com/dekepod.

Now…go forth and Warhol!

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Investing these days can be scary at best. Combine that with the knowledge that Social Security may be nothing more than a distant memory when the time comes for “my generation” to retire, and — well, it’s enough to keep you awake at night.

Lots of folks say investing in gold is wise, and I would tend to agree. But, what if you don’t have a lot of cash to invest? Is there anything that a small business owner with limited cash can do?

The answer is yes! There are actually lots of ways that you can bring in extra revenue — but the one that I want to focus on for today’s Friday File is parked domains.

For a minimal investment, you can pick up keyword rich domain names in any imaginable niche — and, with a few savvy tips and small time investment — you may just be surprised by the results.

Will you be able to retire to Aruba with it? Probably not. But, I can honestly say that I have turned a less-than-ten-buck investment into 3 and 4 figure returns. If that piques your interest, read on.

Legalese Disclaimer: The information contained below is based upon my own experience – all resources noted are the actual ones that I use. Your mileage may vary.

What to Do with Domains?
Here are a few that ideas that I have used:

• Park them with a reputable service
• Redirect them to affiliate programs you are promoting
• Build Adsense websites
• Redirect them to niche sites/mini sites you already own
• Create review sites for targeted niches & promote affiliate products
• List them with a broker to “flip” for cash
• Redirect them to a Squidoo lens

A Bit of Background
If you want to seriously dabble in domains, it pays to do your homework. Magazines like Modern Domainer are recommended to keep up with trends in the industry. I would also recommend following Google Trends, as well as being an avid reader of topics such as Technology, Retail, New Media, Pop Culture, and Politics. Resources such as these (and hard core domainers would tell you this is just the tip of the iceberg) will provide you with insights into hot trends and markets that may be ripe for the picking.

All this to say that if you are looking for a big payday for your Pee-Wee Herman domain, you’ll likely be disappointed — that ship has sailed.

Finding the Deals
There are plenty of tools and services that offer to help you identify recently-dropped names that you can snap up on the cheap (sites like JustDropped.com, DNJournal, and DeletedDomains.com are a few to consider).

If you are looking for an investment-quality domain to hold on to, use with a parking service, develop an adsense site, or redirect to a Squidoo page (more on that in a bit), I highly recommend signing up for my pal Jeff’s newsletter, DNFolio. I have been on this email list for quite a while now, and can personally vouch for this newsletter as one that offers great names, super prices, and excellent service. Jeff also offers regular sales for his subscribers, and that is reason enough to get on the list!

Another place I have found excellent deals is at GoDaddy’s Domain Name Auctions. I don’t recommend going over there without a plan, or you will become quickly overwhelmed. Instead, have a list of 4-5 targeted niche keywords (that you have arrived at by using your research tools noted earlier). Then, conduct an “Advanced Search.” Here are a few of my preferences:

• Limit the characters to 16-20
• Check the boxes to eliminate hyphenated results, and results containing numbers
• Check the box for .com only (again, this is just my preference)
• Check the box for Closeouts
• Enter your keyword where prompted

Of course, these are just some of the preferences I use routinely – you may want to play around with them to see what you can find. If the domains are BUY NOW tagged, you will be able to purchase immediately. If you have to enter a bid, it may take a few days to hear whether or not your bid is the winner. Be sure you indicate you want to receive updates in case you are outbid.

One side note about GoDaddy: They do assess you a renewal fee of approximately $10 that is added to the final cost of the domain. While I am not a big proponent of this, I have chalked it up to one of those “costs of doing business.”

Domain Parking
There are a number of services out there for domain parking, but I like using Parked for mine. They have great service, excellent reporting options, and pay directly via Paypal. There is no charge to sign up for their service.

Squidoo
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, chances are you already know that I truly love Squidoo. So, it should come as no surprise that I have integrated Squidoo into my domaining activities. Particularly for niche markets where there are significant affiliate opportunities, redirecting a domain to a Squidoo page offers a much greater potential for revenue generation. It does take a bit of time to create content and research affiliate programs in order to create a top-notch lens — but, the returns certainly outweigh this small time investment.

One side note about this method: While direct type-in traffic will be redirected to your lens using this method, you’ll still want to be sure to select a keyword-rich name for your lens at Squidoo. For example, if you are generating a lens about Paris Hilton’s purse collection, you might select a name for your page such as http://squidoo.com/paris-hilton-purses.

I want you to understand that these are real strategies that you can be using — and that they do work. In a time when we’re all looking for creative money-making opportunities, this is one that doesn’t require a huge outlay of cash or time — yet offers the potential for big returns. In my book, that is an opportunity worth considering.

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